Aerosol dispensing apparatus



Sept. 13, 1966 J FRANGOS 3,272,402

AEROSOL DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 24, 1963 22 1A Fm W2 FIG. 2

n /7 20 /a a TI /5 I NVENTOR. J'0///l 564M605 United States Patent 3,272,4tr2 AERGSGL DISPENSING APlPARATUd John Frangos, Brooklyn, Nib, assignor to Revlon, line, New York, N11 Filed Dec, 24, 1963, See. Ne. 333,147 7 Claims. ('fil. 222-494) This invention relates to dispensing fluids from pressure containers under the propelling action of a gas or other propellant within the container and, more particularly, to the dispensing from a single container simultaneously a mixture of two immiscible liquids which form in the container two or more separate and non-interspersed layers.

As will be understood, a wide variety of materials may be dispensed from pressurized containers under the action of gaseous or vaporizable propellent therein as with the so-called aerosol types of packaging. Generally in situations of this character, the material to be dispensed is admixed with a propellent (gas or highly volatile liquid, etc.) in a sealed container having a valved eduction tube therein whereby opening the valve provides for the propellent to force the material to be dispensed up the eduction tube and out of the container.

If, however, the particular materials to be dispensed are in the nature of immiscible liquids (one of which may be the propellent) which form separate or distinct and non-interspersed layers within the container, difficulty may be experienced in obtaining a simultaneous dispensing of both layers and/ or a desirably homogeneous miX- Q ture thereof, especially if the immiscible materials are such as to resist interspersion or admixture by shaking or otherwise immediately prior to opening the dispensing valve.

According to this invention, however, apparatus is provided for dispensing from aerosol containers simultaneously and with predetermined proportioning separate and immiscible materials forming in the container two or more distinct separate layers, and in a manner whereby the simultaneous dispensing from all layers and the predetermined proportioning thereof is maintained for the entire capacity of the container and regardless of the changing levels of liquid therein. Generally, in accordance herewith, separate or individual eduction tubes are provided for each of the several distinct and immiscible layers with that for the upper layer being arranged to follow the liquid level thereof downwardly in the container as the contents of both layers are used up and dispensed.

With the foregoing and additional objects in View, this invention will now be described in more detail, and other objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial section of an aerosol container embodying and for practicing this invention with the valve therein indicated as being in closed position and with the level of liquids substantially filling the container;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the valve shown in open position and with the level of liquid in the container shown as when the container is almost empty; and

'FIG. 3 is a transverse section on somewhat larger scale taken along the line 3- 3 of FIG. 1.

In the drawings, in which like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views thereof, there is shown as a purely illustrative embodiment of this invention, aerosol dispensing apparatus including a conventional pressure container having a sealed closure 11 at the top thereof and including two immiscible liquid materials forming distinct and non-interspersed lay- 3,272,492 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 ice ers indicated as '12 and 13. It is to be understood that one of the layers 12 or 13 may actually be the propellant immiscible with the material to be dispensed in the other layer, and/or both layers 12. and 13 may be immiscible materials to be dispensed with the propellant included in one or the other thereof, or the propellant may be a compressed gas such as nitrogen in the space above layer 12.

A conventional aerosol dispensing valve arrangement is indicated as carried by closure '11 and including a valve body 15 having an inlet port or nipple 16 and a reciprocal ejection stem 17 penetrating to the outside of closure 11 through a seal 18, all in known manner. Upon depressing valve stem 17 (to the position shown in FIG. 2) outlet port 20 therein is moved from a sealed position above or within seal 18 to the position shown in FIG. 2 permitting material contained within valve body 15 to be ejected through the axial hollow passage in stem 17 and out of dispensing nozzle 21 shown as incorporated in a cap 22, again all in known manner. Release of finger pressure on cap 22 allows spring 23 to raise valve stem 17 again into the close position of FIG. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment, a conventional eduction tube 25 is shown leading from adjacent the bottom of container 10 up to inlet nipple 16, whereby liquid in layer 13 adjacent the bottom of the container will be ejected through eduction tube 25 by the pressure of propellant in the container whenever the valve is opened to permit communication between valve body 1 5 and the atmosphere through valve stem 17. As will be apparent from the foregoing, however, if eduction tube 25 were the only outlet arrangement, the device would dispense only liquid from layer 13, at least until layer 13 was completely eX- hausted, and then only liquid from layer 12. In accordance herewith, however, it is also desired simultaneously to dispense liquid from upper layer 12 each time the valve is opened.

To this end, in the illustrated embodiment, an auxiliary eduction tube is provided in the form of flexible and, preferably, pleated plastic tube the upper end of which is fitted around the outside of the valve body 15 and lower end of which carries a tfioat 31 adapted to float upon the upper surface of layer 12 and to follow this liquid level as it is gradually lowered upon dispensing of material from the container. Also an auxiliary inlet port 32 is provided communicated from within [flexible eduction tube 30 into the interior valve body 15.

In such manner, as will be apparent from the foregoing, opening of the value as in FIG. 2 provides ejection of liquid from lower layer 13 up through eduction tube 25, along with simultaneous ejection of material from upper layer 12 up through auxiliary eduction tube 30, with the mixing of the two materials within valve housing 15 and the final ejection or dispensing of both admixed together through hollow stem 17 and ejection nozzle 21. By virtue of float 31 floating on the liquid surface in the container, the foregoing situation with simultaneous ejection through both tubes 25 and 30 is maintained throughout the life of the container and irrespective of the particular changing liquid level therein as more and more material is dispensed. Similarly, by the appropriate adjustment or correlation of the sizes of inlet ports 16 and 32 into valve body 15, a predetermined ratio or proportioning of the quantity of the relative quantities of materials from layers 12 and 13 is also maintained as may be desired so that materials from both layers will be simultaneously dispensed at the desired relative quantities whether the container is almost full or almost empty.

As will also be understood from the foregoing, the stratification of the various immiscible liquid layers 12 and 13 necessarily presupposes a difference in specific gravities of the materials therein contained. Accordingly, in situations where more than two distinct lawyers of immiscible materials are maintained or to be expected, they can be similarly simultaneously dispensed in accordance with this invention by the provision of additional flexible auxiliary eduction tubes such as 30 each having a float such as 31 configured or arranged so as to float upon the surf-ace or interface of an intermediate liquid layer but being too heavy to float upon the surface of the lightest top layer, etc.

There is, thus, provided in accordance herewith an arrangement whereby two or more immiscible materials tending to form distinct layers within container it) are readily and simultaneously dispensed in predetermined proportions upon depressing a valve stem 1'7 and without the necessity of any attempt to intersperse or admix the various layers as by shaking the container or otherwise prior to dispensing it. Even inadvertent admixing of the materials during handling the container forms but a momentary situation which resolves itself automatically as the container is at rest between uses. Even in situations where only a single material is desired to be dispensed with the other layer comprising propellent only, the utility of the aerosol arrangement is enhanced in accordance herewith by assuring that a portion of the propellent will be dispensed along with each portion of material to avoid the otherwise undesirable situation where the material in the lower layer is dispensed without an accompanying portion of expanding or vaporizable propellent and/or where the container would still appear not to be empty even though all the material in the lower layer had been exhausted.

Yet the foregoing arrangement is provided with ex tremely simple apparatus and without the necessity of complicated manufacturing or design considerations, especially in instances where it is desired to have the container and the valve therefor extremely small. As will also be understood, although the valving arrangement shown is generally of the type in which material is dispensed so long as valve stem 17 is held depressed, this invention is readily applicable to situations where it is desired to have the principal valving arrangement formed as a metering or dosage valve in known manner for dispensing only a pretetermined quantity or dose of material each time the valve is depressed.

While the forms of apparatus herein disclosed constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, this invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of this invention which is defined in the amended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pressure container and dispenser of the character described adapted to contain a plurality of immiscible liquids forming separate liquid layers and to dispense a mixture of materials from all said layers simultaneously under the action of a propellant in said container, the combination which comprises dispensing valve means in said container for emitting materials contained therein under the action of said propellant upon opening of said valve means, an eduction tube disposed in said container and having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed adjacent the bottom of said container for conducting material in the lowest of said plurality of layers from adjacent the bottom of said container to said valve means, at least one supplementary eduction tube having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed within one of said immiscible layers other than said lowest layer of material in said container, and float means on said supplementary eduction tube at the end thereof opposite to said valve means and adapted for floating on the one of said immiscible layers to be dispensed through said supplementary eduction tube.

2. In a pressure container and dispenser of the character described adapted to contain a plurality of immiscible liquids forming separate liquid layers and to dispense a mixture of materials from all said layers simultaneously under the action of a propellant in said container, the combination which comprises dispensing valve means in said container for emitting materials contained therein under the action of said propellant upon opening of said valve means, an eduction tube disposed in said container and having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed adjacent the bottom of said container for conducting material in the lowest of said plurality of layers from adjacent the bottom of said container to said valve means, at least one supplementary eduction tube having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed within one of said immiscible layers other than said lowest layer of material in said container, and float means on said supplementary eduction tube at the end thereof opposite to said valve means and adapted for floating on the one of said immiscible layers to be dispensed through said supplementary eduction tube, said supplementary eduction tube being expandable for following said float means downwardly in said container as said layer on which it is floating is gradually dispensed through said first eduction tube and said valve means.

3. In a pressure container and dispenser of the character described adapted to contain two immiscible liquids forming separate liquid layers and to dispense a mixture of materials from both said layers simultaneously under the action of a propellant in said container, the combination which comprises dispensing valve means in said container for emitting materials contained therein under the action of said propellant upon opening of said valve means, an eduction tube disposed in said container and having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed adjacent the bottom of said container for conducting material in the lower of said layers from adjacent the bottom of said container to said valve means, a supplementary eduction tube having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed within the upper of said immiscible layers, and float means on said supplementary eduction tube at the end thereof opposite to said valve means and adapted for floating on said upper immiscible layer, said supplementary eduction tube being expandable for following said float means downwardly in said container as said lower layer is gradually dispensed through said valve means.

4. A pressure container as recited in claim 3 in which said dispensing valve means includes a valve body within said container and in flow communication with the upper ends of said eduction tubes, a movable valve stem having a hollow channel therein leading from said valve body out of said container when said valve stem is moved into dispensing position, and spring means urging said valve stem away from said dispensing position.

5. A pressure container as recited in claim 3 in which said propellant is contained in one of said layers.

6. A pressure container as recited in claim 3 in which said proepllant is a compressed gas within said container and above said liquid layers therein.

7. In a pressure container and dispenser of the character described, adapted to contain two immiscible liquids forming separate liquid layers and to dispense a mixture of materials from both layers simultaneously under the action of a propellant in said container, the combination which comprises dispensing valve means in said container for emitting materials contained therein under the action of said propellant upon opening of said valve means, an eduction tube disposed in said container and having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed adjacent the bottom of said container for conducting material in the lower of said layers from adjacent the bottom of said container to said valve means, a flexibly corrugated and extensible supplementary eduction tube disposed coaxially around said first mentioned eduction tube and having one end in flow communication with said valve means and the opposite end disposed within the upper of said immiscible layers, and float means on said supplementary eduction tube at the end thereof opposite said valve means and adapted for floating on said upper immiscible layer, said supplementary eduction tube being extensible for following said float means downwardly in said container as said lower layer is gradually dispensed through said valve means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,113,698 12/1963 Abplanalp 222405 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PRESSURE CONTAINER AND DISPENSER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A PLURALITY OF IMMISCIBLE LIQUIDS FORMING SEPARATE LIQUID LAYERS AND TO DISPENSE A MIXTURE OF MATERIALS FROM ALL SAID LAYERS SIMULTANEOUSLY UNDER THE ACTION OF A PROPELLANT IN SAID CONTAINER, THE COMBINATION WHICH COMPRISES DISPENSING VALVE MEANS IN SAID CONTAINER FOR EMITTING MATERIALS CONTAINED THEREIN UNDER THE ACTION OF SAID PROPELLANT UPON OPENING OF SAID VALVE MEANS, AN EDUCTION TUBE DISPOSED IN SAID CONTAINER AND HAVING ONE END IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID VALVE MEANS AND THE OPPOSITE END DISPOSED ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER FOR CONDUCTING MATERIAL IN THE LOWEST OF SAID PLURALITY OF LAYERS FROM ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER TO SAID VALVE MEANS, AT LEAST ONE SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCTION TUBE HAVING ONE END IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID VALVE MEANS AND THE OPPOSITE END DISPOSED WITHIN ONE OF SAID IMMISCIBLE LAYERS OTHER THAN SAID LOWEST LAYER OF MATERIAL IN SAID CONTAINER, AND FLOAT MEANS ON SAID SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCTION TUBE AT THE END THEREOF OPPOSITE TO SAID VALVE MEANS AND ADAPTED FOR FLOATING ON THE ONE OF SAID IMMISCIBLE LAYERS TO BE DISPENSED THROUGH SAID SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCTION TUBE. 